DX Chogokin VF-171 Cannon Fodder

[Loop]

I guess Bandai was serious about the CF release as they explode like crazy, like in the show.

Edited July 10, 2013 by Loop

[Mommar]

My single CF is fine.

[Loop]

Yeah as far as I can tell my 3x are OK, but I am now afraid to take them back to fighter mode.

[Valk-1S]

The crack on the inside of the black triangle piece below the NUNS is not noticeable unless you take the shoulder apart. Folks may not realize that it is there at all.

Yup agree. I know of the issue, so I check all of mine and saw one with a crack. The moment I remove the shoulder piece, the NUNs black triangle bit just crumbled. The leg pice was a bit funny. I pulled it out first from fighter and it was still okay but a side piece of the knee joint coming off. I just though no biggy as its a simply fix as it was originally glued so just glue it back. After checking all the potential QC items, when just bending the leg back, not even twisting it, the leg just fell off. When you turn the leg where there is restriction, you can actually see the thigh area plastic piece separating a bit.

[Graham]

Yup agree. I know of the issue, so I check all of mine and saw one with a crack. The moment I remove the shoulder piece, the NUNs black triangle bit just crumbled. The leg pice was a bit funny. I pulled it out first from fighter and it was still okay but a side piece of the knee joint coming off. I just though no biggy as its a simply fix as it was originally glued so just glue it back. After checking all the potential QC items, when just bending the leg back, not even twisting it, the leg just fell off. When you turn the leg where there is restriction, you can actually see the thigh area plastic piece separating a bit.

That's worrying.

Could you post some pics?

Thanks,

Graham

[skullmilitia]

I just checked my cracked lower triangle figure, and I can't find

Any cracks other then the one triangle.

I noticed if you transform the arms slowly,

You can almost completely inhibit any stress

On the triangles.

[Valk-1S]

That's worrying.

Could you post some pics?

Thanks,

Graham

Will do it later tonight to show the thigh area separating a bit as currently at work. I can't take a pic inside of the thigh area to show the internal parts as I have glued it back. It's being held by a screw and the front piece of the thigh area which is glued in place.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

sounds scary to transform these guys. i was too scared to transform my CF 171 even once before i sold it. glad i didn't try or i might've broke it hurting my chances of selling it

[skullmilitia]

Once you realize that the leg section, with lower cover, has to meet the neck

Of the head, everything else falls into place.

This is the third time I've done the transformation, and it took as

Long as the VF-19.

[Valk-1S]

That's worrying.

Could you post some pics?

Thanks,

Graham

Okay the leg broke again when I pull it out so had to disassemble it again and took some pictures to show what I mean by a part in there is not a full circle. Loading 4 pictures. Two to show how the thigh is closed when the leg is in a certain position and how it expands when the leg is turned.

Another picture is the piece that goes into the thigh area showing how it's not a full circular piece which is the why the thigh area expands when the leg is turned in a certain direction.

Last picture is to show the type of pin Bandai uses which eats into the plastic and is probably one of the cause of the plastic breaking. This is the same type of pin used in the black triangle pieces as well. Just like Yamato with the shoulder issues on the VF-1, the pins were not smooth at the end and eats into the plastic. should the pin rotate against the plastic.

[CF18]

I don't think you are suppose to rotate that joint all the way to 90 degree. On my samples they all have a clear "stop" at about 30 degree and I never pushed any further.

For my own failure, see here:

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=36479&p=1057930

[ultraman zoffy]

My Alto VF-171 failed at the knee/swivel joint, and I'm wondering if its due to a similar issue as the one above... it locked up, and I had to force it to get it freed up, so the leg has got a gap in the shin area now. Planning to just cover it with the armor parts later. lol

[eriku]

Now that both of my NUNS triangles are broken I'm especially hoping someone does Shapeways replacements.

[DyNo]

Now that both of my NUNS triangles are broken I'm especially hoping someone does Shapeways replacements.

VF5SS would be the one to contact about designing a shapeways replacement part. Edited July 10, 2013 by DyNo

[eriku]

That's pretty much who I meant by "someone" but I didn't want to single him out specifically.

[Valk-1S]

I don't think you are suppose to rotate that joint all the way to 90 degree. On my samples they all have a clear "stop" at about 30 degree and I never pushed any further.For my own failure, see here:http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=36479&p=1057930

yup. It's not suppose to but it easily turns 360 degrees with small resistance. It's just the plastic they use which appears to be brittle and cracks easily.

[Loop]

Damnit, please no one else mention VF-25 problems too. I hope it does not start a trend on the whole line of renewals. Damn CF-18, that chest hinge looks like it just sheared off. I really wanted to keep the 3 I got in fighter mode, but I convinced myself that I should transform them to check the QC. Now I am deathly afraid to change the modes on them. I may just leave them in Battroid mode forever as I already have my Alto 171 back in fighter mode.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Damnit, please no one else mention VF-25 problems too. I hope it does not start a trend on the whole line of renewals. Damn CF-18, that chest hinge looks like it just sheared off. I really wanted to keep the 3 I got in fighter mode, but I convinced myself that I should transform them to check the QC. Now I am deathly afraid to change the modes on them. I may just leave them in Battroid mode forever as I already have my Alto 171 back in fighter mode.

keep them in fighter mode, barely saw them in battroid in the show anyways... jk, i was scared after i sold my sealed ex 171 alto and cf 171 to Kirik, that something would be wrong afterwards... but it turned out ok. hopefully all 3 of yours will turn out ok.

[Sturmvogel]

Yup agree. I know of the issue, so I check all of mine and saw one with a crack. The moment I remove the shoulder piece, the NUNs black triangle bit just crumbled. The leg pice was a bit funny. I pulled it out first from fighter and it was still okay but a side piece of the knee joint coming off. I just though no biggy as its a simply fix as it was originally glued so just glue it back. After checking all the potential QC items, when just bending the leg back, not even twisting it, the leg just fell off. When you turn the leg where there is restriction, you can actually see the thigh area plastic piece separating a bit.

The crack on the inside of the black triangle piece below the NUNS is not noticeable unless you take the shoulder apart. Folks may not realize that it is there at all.

What I did exactly was remove the green shoulder piece first. It is just pegged into the black piece with two tiny pegs.

After that was off, then I had full access to the screw on the black piece. Sorry for the confusion.

I need to check the right shoulder piece on mine, it looks like it has a stress mark and a small crack forming above the U. I'd like to also loosen both screws on the left and right shoulders as a preventative measure. I'm not seeing how to remove the shoulder piece (is that the one with the big "171" on it?). I don't see a green shoulder piece. How are you guys taking the shoulder apart?

[grymg]

Pry off the green shoulder cover, there are two tiny pegs that peg into tiny holes in the black shoulder NUNS pieces. Then you will have clear access to the tiny screw holding the two halves of the NUNS piece onto the metal shoulder ball joint.

Be careful prying off the green shoulder cover though, the two halves are glued together so you might stress something while trying to pry it off.

Edited July 11, 2013 by grymg

[zzgundam010]

Pry off the green shoulder cover, there are two tiny pegs that peg into tiny holes in the black shoulder NUNS pieces. Then you will have clear access to the tiny screw holding the two halves of the NUNS piece onto the metal shoulder ball joint.

Be careful prying off the green shoulder cover though, the two halves are glued together so you might stress something while trying to pry it off.

I did not have to pry off the green shoulder cover. From the bottom move the black triangle pieces out of the way as if you are going to transform it. That will expose the tiny screw holding the two halves. Loosening/removing the screw will decrease the pressure on the metal shoulder ball joint, allowing one to remove the shoulder intact.

[Sturmvogel]

I did not have to pry off the green shoulder cover. From the bottom move the black triangle pieces out of the way as if you are going to transform it. That will expose the tiny screw holding the two halves. Loosening/removing the screw will decrease the pressure on the metal shoulder ball joint, allowing one to remove the shoulder intact.

Thanks, I think I see it now. I've been afraid to transform it until I loosened the screw first. Now if I can only do step 2 without breaking the leg off!

[Sandman]

Amiami restock again. 12500 yens.

http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=TOY-RBT-2966&page=top%2Fsearch%2Flist%3Fs_keywords%3Dmacross+chogokin%24pagemax%3D100%24getcnt%3D0%24pagecnt%3D1

Looks like its gone completely from their website.

[moose]

Can someone post up a video on how to transform this thing I am scared to even attempt it

[jenius]

I think I could do a lot better job if I tried again as it seems to go smoother for me these days:

http://youtu.be/DeTZM0QpZGg

Man, apparently I suck at embedding videos.

Edited July 13, 2013 by jenius

[moose]

ok Thanks I am going to have to give it a go

[raptormesh]

It's bloody scary the first item round but subsequent transformation gets much better. I have one in battroid and one in fighter and sometimes swap their modes for fun. All the explosives aside I still think its the best design out of the frontier series.

[zzgundam010]

I think I could do a lot better job if I tried again as it seems to go smoother for me these days:

http://youtu.be/DeTZM0QpZGg

Man, apparently I suck at embedding videos.

I always look at the vidoe from Scorched Earth Toys @ anymoon.com first before I transform all my valks.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I'd love to see this in Gamlin's VF-17D colors; black with blue trim.

[Chronocidal]

I'd love to see this in Gamlin's VF-17D colors; black with blue trim.

Maybe if Bandai keeps up the Macross 30 releases, you might get your wish. Not the D sadly, but in lieu of an actual VF-17 model, they did include Gamlin and Millia VF-17S schemes for the VF-171.

[HG Blows]

Got mine during release, barely opened today. Crack on triangle...

Cannon fodders were made to be destroyed I guess. Not even gonna bother transforming to check for missing pieces. You shall stay in fighter until the day you get shot down for being the grunt that you are.

[namsdraug]

Finally got time to open my first out of 2 VF-171 and sadly found the bottom triangle with cracks on it.

Now don't dare to transform it, any way i can mend the crack first?? Can I use cement? Sorry for the noob question

Edited July 15, 2013 by namsdraug

[anubis20]

Started shoulder surgery on my 171CF today. I had tried reinforcing only with epoxy before but that didn't work. So this time i cut some staples and melted them into the plastic with a soldering iron and then covered it with epoxy to glue it all together. I let the epoxy harden overnight and i'll test it out when I get back home later on today.

[ErikElvis]

AArrrggggg. I though my 3 were safe but I did a second sweep and alas one of my triangles is cracked. In the words of meatloaf I guess 2 outta 3 aint bad....

[Reïvaj]

Is it still correct the 5% failure rate that I saw in the Scorched Earth Toys review?

I'm now sure that failure rate has been seriously underestimated. It's probably time to update the review, isn't it?

Wow, I really regret all these QC issues, this is such a great design!